Apparatus for opening telephone circuits at a distance



L s. IsoHAc.l v APPARATUS FOR OPENING TELEPHONE CIRCUITS AT A DISTANCE.

APPLICATION FILED IAN.12.192|.

l Patented Nov. 21, 1922.

I il IIIII up Patented Nov. 21, 1922.

UNITED STATES anatra i LEONARD S. BOHAC, OF CEDARBAPIDS, IOWA.

.APPARATUS FOR OPENING TELEPHONE CIRCUITS AT A DISTANCE.

Application filed January 12, r1921. Serial No. 436,672.

T 0 all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, LEONARD Bonne?, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cedar Rapids, in the county of Linn and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Opening Telephone Circuits at a Distance; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable othersy skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same. n f

This invention relates to telephone systems, and more especially to those having branch lines more or less remote from a central station, and which must be kept in operative condition, The object of this invention is to make it possible to open such branch lines for the purpose of testing them, in case of trouble, or otherwise, and without the necessity of traveling to and personally inspecting them. y

In the operation of telephone systems it is of course common for the main line to become broken or short-circuited by the ac-A tion of storms, or otherwise. In such cases it is customary to send the trouble man. to locate the defect and repair it. In the case of lines remote from a central station, this involves a trip to the line in question, with consequent delay and expense. My invention provides the means whereby the distant line may be opened for testing from the central station, and the trouble located without delay.

The invention is fully disclosed in the description and claims following, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of apparatus embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same. Fig. 3 shows diagrammatically the wiring of the same for use.

In the drawing, the numerals 1 and 2 denote a pair of marginal relays, of familiar type, with exceptions hereinafter set forth. These are mounted on a suitable base 3, to which is also attached a condenser 4. The armatures of the alternating current ends of the relay connect with hooks 5 and 6, which serve to hold the armatures 7 and 8 of the direct current ends of the relay in closed position, as shown in Fig. 2. This breaks the direct current at a spring-blade switch 9, which is pressed to a closed position by the outward swing of the armature.

Concurrent action is imparted to both switches and armatures by connecting the armatures by an insulating bridge-bar 1U. To this is attached a tension coil-spring 11 held by a post 12. The base is provided with suitable binding posts 13, 14, 15, 16,17 and 18 for wiring connections to be described presently. The other parts of the apparatus, aside from the wiring, are an alternating current generator 19, a direct current generator 20, both indicated conventionally, a switchboard jack 21, and the ottice equipment of the distant. station, which is indicated by a simple zigzag line 22. The apparatus shown in Figs. 1 and 2 is also supposed to be mounted in said ofice, and 4 what is shown atthe right thereof in 3 is the line to be tested and part of the equipment of the central station. i

Referring to Fig. 3,' it will be seen that the main line circuit a includes the alternating generator, jack, coils Z) and c of the relays, and the condenser. The main line is tapped' at both sides by wires 0l, connecting with the battery and controlled by a switch e. This circuit includes the relay switches 9, coils of the relays f and g, and the oihcey equipment 22. In order to test the line for the location of trouble the same must be opened and cut off from the remote otlice equipment.

Current for this apparatus is supplied by the direct current generator 20, the switches e and 9 being closed. Current for the talking circuit is supposed to be supplied in the usualk way by a storage battery not shown. The normal voltage of this working current is about 48, which is not suiiicient to close the armatures 7 and 8 against the tension of the retractile spring. When, however, it is desired to test the line, the intensity of the current is increased enough to so intensify the magnets of these relays as to overcome the tension of the retractile spring, and the armatures snap to the position shown in Fig. 2, and are latched by the hooks 5 and 6, the switch 9 opening at'the same instant and breaking the circuit. The line isl now open, and may be tested without interruption from the distant station, thus temporarily cut 0H.

When it is desired to restore the line to normal condition it is only necessary to plug in at the jack, when an alternating current through the coils of the relays b and c, and the condenser energizes the relay magnets, and the shifting of their armatures unhooks the opposite armatures, ivhi'ch closes the switches 9.

The invention will thus be seen to include three main characteristics: The use normally of a current of moderate voltage; the opening of the line by a marked increase of voltage (in practice from about 48 to about 100) and the restoration of the line to normal through the action of the other kindl of current. It will be understoodthatif the normal current is direct, the other kind is the alternating current, and vice versa.

Having thus described my invention, l claim: y l

l. Apparatus for opening a distant telephone .line and restoring the same to normal, comprising a marginal relay in the working circuit, a latch to engage its armature when in energized position, a magnet operable by another kind of current to disengage said latch, whereby the opening of the armature closes the Working circuit, means for increasing the voltagethrough the marginal relay to open the `Working circuit, and means forsending another kind of current through the other relay to restore 'it to closed circuit position. n

2. Apparatus for' opening and closing dis-` tant telephone circuits, the same including a pair of marginal relays in the Working circuit, a connecting bar for their armatures, and a connecting retractile spring to move the armatures to circuit-closing position, latches to engage the armatures v'vhen in the open 'circuit position, relays employing other than the Working current, to disengage said latches, means whereby increased voltage may be given to the working circuit, and independent-,means for energizing the latch-releasing 'magnets with another kind of current. v p

3. Apparatus for opening and closing distant telephone circuits, the same including a pair of marginal relays coupled at their circuit-closing armatures, a retractile spring therefor, oppositely disposed magnetvv mem,- bers having latching armatures operablerto lock the other armatures in circuit opening position, a Vcondenser in circuit With Athe last named magnets, a circuit including the contacts of the marginal relay and the distant station, a branch circuit including the other magnets and condenser, a direct` current generator in the main lline circuit through the first named magnets and an allternating current generator, both connectable with the main line circuit through the other magnets.

In testimony whereof I aliiX my signature in presence of two Witnesses. v v y LEONARD S. BOI-IACv Witnesses:

F. ARMSTRONG, J. M. ST. JOHN. 

